OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
Plus parts of the South Hams and West Devon
www.oldplymouth.uk
 

©  Brian Moseley, Plymouth
Webpage created: February 28, 2019
Webpage updated: January 25, 2022

        

RAILWAYS IN OLD PLYMOUTH  |  BRANCH LINE, CORNWALL JUNCTION SIGNAL BOX TO PLYMOUTH GREAT WESTERN DOCKS

MILL BAY LEVEL CROSSING BOX

Mill Bay Level Crossing Box in April 1970.
© late C L Caddy/Brian Moseley.

Beyond Milepost 246¾ (246 miles 60 chains) was the level crossing over Millbay Road, controlled by the Mill Bay Level Crossing Box on the far side of the Crossing, on the Up side of the tracks.

A slightly different view of Mill Bay Level Crossing Box.
© Mr Patrick Lynch, Bristol.

In 1935 it was planned to installl traffic lights at this Crossing but the plan was never carried through.

Mill Bay Level Crossing Box, which measured 17 feet by 12 feet, was opened in about 1898 and had 14 levers.  Lever 6 released the Dock Line Ground Frame.

Locomotive number 5058 hauls an Ocean Liner express
past Mill Bay Level Crossing Box.  Date not known.
From author's collection.

Approaching the crossing from Millbay were the Down Fixed Distant beneath the Millbay Signal Box Down Starter (lever 87) and the entrance signal for the goods shed (lever 86), and the Down Main Home Signal (lever 4).  There were no Down Staring Signals.

Approaching the level crossing from the Docks were the Up Fixed Distant, the Up Outer Home (lever 13)(just head of a crossover), and the Up Home (lever 12) with the Up Millbay Signal Box Distant beneath it.  There were no Up signals on the Millbay side of the crossing.

Lever 1 locked the gates across Millbay Road; lever 2 locked them across the railway line.  The gates were operated by a wheel.

A good view of both the Mill Bay Level Crossing Signal Box and the level crossing itself.
Mr Patrick Lynch, Bristol.

The Dock Inspector was in charge of the shunters and the flag boy.  The maximum speed permitted with in the Docks was 6mph.

A Pilotman, appointed by the Inspector at Plymouth Station, was in charge of any movements of passenger, special or mail trains, in to and out of the Docks.  After announcing himself to the Signalman, he can despatch the engine or engines to work the Up trains.  He must then walk to the Passenger Landing Stage making sure that any Dock locomotive working between the Signal Box and the Landing Stage is safely clipped and padlocked in the Engine Shed line and that the Policeman on the main Dock Gate in Washington Place was aware that he must not let any Dock engine working on the north and west sides of the Docks to pass his position into the south part until the Pilotman gave the "All clear".  In doing this the Pilotman had to clip and padlock the throw-off point 15 yards south of the Gateman's cabin.  He also had to clip and padlock all facing points for an Up train.

Before the ocean special could leave the Passenger Landing Stage the Boat Inspector had to telephone the Inspector at Plymouth Station to advise him of the expected time of departure.  This information was telegraphed to signal boxes up the main line.  Five minutes before the train was due to depart the Boat Inspector must again telephone Millbay to state the time the train would leave.  He would also telephone the signalman at Mill Bay Level Crossing Box and ask him to obtain "Line Clear" for the train and only when this had been obtained and indicated on the block instrument in the Baggage Warehouse, could he let the train depart.  At this point the level crossing gates would have stopped the traffic in Millbay Road and the Outer and Inner Up Home Signals would be "Off".  However, on some occasions the engine that started the train off from the Passenger Landing Stage had to be replaced at the level crossing by a larger locomotive.  The instructions provided for the train stopping at the Inner Home Signal, the engine coming off on to the Down line and the new engine, already positioned north of the crossing on the Up line, coasting back on to the front of the train.

^The Signalling Regulations stated that the "Is Line Clear?" should be asked just before the train is ready to depart; and that the Up Inner Home Signal should not be lowered until the "Line Clear" had been obtained from Plymouth Millbay Signal Box and that the Millbay signalman had already lowered his Home signal for the train.

The Box was reduced to the status of a Ground Frame on and as from March 17th 1968.

Mr Jack Oliver, signalman, opens the gates at Mill Bay Level Crossing
for the last train to leave Millbay Docks, June 30th 1971.
© Western Morning News Company limited.

Mill Bay Level Crossing Signal Box was closed on or as from September 26th 1971.

 

  With grateful acknowledgement to the late Mr Laurence 'Larry' William Crosier (1929-2010) of the Great Western Railway Company (1943-1947);
British Railways (1948-c1994); the Plymouth Railway Circle, the Lee Moor Tramway Preservation Society, and the Signalling Record Society.

Note the photographic evidence that the nameplate did not include the word "Signal" as part of the name of the Box.
Furthermore, in this case the name Mill Bay was spelt as separate words.